6 perks of taking an online summer course

With summer almost in full swing, there are probably only a few things on your mind: sun, fun and eating and drinking frozen things.

Here’s another idea, though – why not take a summer class online?

At most schools, there is still time to sign up for later summer sessions. This means you can enjoy the break you deserve and load up on credits.

Before you say no, think about these perks of taking a summer class:

1. Online courses offer more freedom of attendance. Instructors often structure the online classroom fairly loosely — if there’s a discussion prompt, for example, it’s likely that you’ll get a day or two to post your response, rather than having to be “in class” at a certain time every day. You can still work a job or hang with friends (GoT counts as a friend) as long as you use your time wisely.

Viewpoint: I took an online class … and I loved it (and you should take one, too)

2. There’s usually less writing. This is not always the case, but often a class will require a minimum of writing (think five-page instead of eight-page papers). This applies to English courses in particular, which is great, because you probably can’t talk about Kant for more than 2.5 single-spaced pages anyway. The less-writing thing is due to the time constraints of the course, not to mention that the professor is also trying to enjoy their summer.

3. It’s cheaper than taking courses during the school year. Even though you’re still probably going to pay a couple hundred (or thousand, sigh) dollars for a summer class, you can take them while living at home, which reduces overall cost significantly. After all, home is where the free food is. Online courses also eliminate transportation expenses, as opposed to if you were to take a class at a nearby community college.

4. You can take the course anywhere. Whether you’re in a cafe in Dubai or on your laptop under a tree in your backyard, whenever you want. That road trip you were going to take with friends can still happen. One upside of living in a digital age is that learning is more versatile than ever.

5. Classes are at your own pace. There’s more time to do the readings or study since you’re not juggling five other classes and extracurricular activities. Online courses also tend to be smaller than traditional classes, so the teacher has the opportunity focus more on each student via email or messaging. You can even sleep in late and start your work at 3 PM. Also, you don’t have to wear pants!

6. Credits are easy to transfer. This is especially true if you take the class(es) through your own institution, which may be your only choice if you’re an upperclassman. If taking a class with a different school, check first to see what credits your college will accept.

If Emma Watson can graduate Brown while balancing a successful acting career, you can definitely take Brazilian Music & Culture 101 while balancing a few beach days and concerts.

Gabriella Ginsberg is an English student at Binghamton University. She is an entertainment and pop culture addict with a thirst for comedy. Her goal is to work with funny and enthusiastic people. Gab can be found on her blog, Thrift Class, her website, gabginsberg.com or on instagram @gab_the_bomb.